We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justin Fondrie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Justin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I initially learned photography through high school and then college courses. I also attended graduate school for my MFA. I wanted a well-rounded educational approach to all thing’s
photography. This is the art practice, technical approach, and historical context of photographic
advancements. I also wanted to know more about conceptual development and how to interact
with galleries, write grants, and network with other artists. By taking this journey through traditional
educational channels, I learned that taking workshops, attending conferences, reading books, watching
YouTube videos, and attending exhibition/gallery openings can help to speed up this
learning process. Not everything has to be done within the walls of an institution. Learning in a
college environment helps to create work in a comfortable space and receive honest feedback
from professionals, but local, regional, national, and global resources can also help in the
learning process.

I think the skill that was most essential (outside of creating conceptually strong and great
artwork) is understanding the 80-20 rule. 80% of my time is spent networking, answering
emails, applying for exhibitions, learning, and social media management. While 20% of my time is spent creating
artwork. Don’t get it wrong, 20% is a considerable amount of time creating work. But I think
young artists forget, or do not realize, how important it is to make sure you are making public
connections and not spending all your time in the studio. This is an essential skill to have if you
are an artist who is looking to share artwork publicly and to land exhibition opportunities.

One obstacle that stands in my way of learning more are my own mental blocks. It becomes too
easy for me to tell myself I’m not good enough or there is not enough time in the day. It is a
favorite pastime of mine to lounge and watch the latest tv show everyone is talking
about. I must remind myself to stay motivated and dedicate time to learning. Whether that is
reading, networking, attending lectures, or listening to podcasts. There can be some monetary
limitations as well. I try to mitigate those by researching in advance to save for a course,
conference, or lecture I am planning to attend.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Justin Fondrie (born 1987) is a Wisconsin based artist and educator. I started my career in photography as an undergraduate at Carroll University. I graduated in 2011 and went on to received my MFA in Imaging Arts at Rochester Institute of Technology in 2014. After graduation I became an adjunct professor, while also coaching soccer and working in restaurants. I left all three of those positions to become a full time fashion photographer for two start up companies. I also helped to develop proprietary software that was built around the ability to measure clothing sizes through digital photographs. I did this for six years before becoming a full time artist and educator. My photographic work largely encompasses experimental processes that invoke the ideas of memory, pop culture, and staged realities. I am currently an assistant professor of art at Carroll University and live in Milwaukee, WI.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One area of resilience I am most proud of is to keep making artwork and applying for opportunities to share artwork. Opportunities to share work publicly are not easily earned. Over the years I have learn to love the word “no.” The majority of shows, grants, publications, or residencies I apply for I hear the word “no.” No should not be a word that tells an artist to give up. The word should be embraced and a reminder that not everyone will like your work. A juror/curator might have a different vision for the exhibition. That does not mean you are not talented. The art world is tough and multiple attempts must be made before success can happen. It usually takes me three or more attempts to be accepted into one highly competitive show. Being able to continue creating and sharing work without being defeated by the word “no” continues to be my biggest form of resilience.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

To me, there are two rewarding aspects of being an artist. One, is being able to share my artwork with people. It is great to have the artwork in public spaces (galleries, social media, various exhibitions, etc.). This allows for a dialogue and for me to interact with art fans and other artists. There are always new people to meet and share ideas with. Two, is being an educator. I work with college students and I am able pass down information, to younger generations, I have learned throughout the years. I am also fortunate to teach photography majors and non-majors through general education and liberal arts courses. This is a perfect environment to engage with students who are skilled photographers and students who are using a camera for the first time. Each person has a story to share and to be able to watch their story or expression evolve through a semester, year, or collegiate career is a fantastic process to witness.

Contact Info:

• Website: justinfondrie.net
• Instagram: justin.fondrie
• Linkedin: Justin Fondrie

Image Credits
Justin Fondrie